A Shooting Star May Fall
by Keleficent
Summary: At the end of "Not What He Seems," Mabel is sucked through the portal and Ford must protect her from the dangers the lurk on the other side.
1. I Trust You

Mabel wanted to believe in Stan. She wanted to believe that he was her Grunkle, that he loved her, and would never do anything to hurt her. All the evidence pointed to Stan being a liar. Heck, she already knew that. He was a con artist and proud of it. She had no logical reason to trust him. But…

"Look into my eyes, Mabel! Do you really think I'm a bad guy?"

No, she didn't. But how can she be sure?

"Shut it down now!"

"Mabel, please!"

That caught her attention. Stan hated that word. Just saying the word gave him a burning sensation. He lost millions because he couldn't say the word please. And now, he said it so earnestly. What is in this portal that Stan would give up his pride for?

No, she was being stupid. This machine could kill them all. She had to do it. She was going to do it. But she looked into Stan's eyes. So many emotions swirled within them: desperation, regret, sadness, but most of all, sincerity.

"Grunkle Stan…" Mabel lifted her hands and let the gravity take her away. There was no going back now. "I trust you."

Dipper was screaming at her. That was expected. But what she didn't expect was…

"NO, MABEL! DON'T LET GO!"

She didn't understand. Isn't that what he wanted? Why did he sound so terrified? She opened her eyes and realized she not only drifted upward, she was drifting backward toward the portal.

"Grunkle Stan…Grunkle Stan, help me." Her uncle had a traumatized look in his eyes as he helplessly watched Mabel drift away. It was like he had seen this all before. "GRUNKLE STAN!"

"MABEL!"

A burst of light blinded Mabel and then everything was gone.

Gravity returned full force and knocked her into something, or rather somebody. Said person gave a loud grunt as they both fell to the ground. Mabel barely paid attention, though. She was too focused on the portal she had just gone through disappearing in a flash of light.

Before she could even begin to process what just happened, a hand went over her mouth and she was pulled behind a wall. She gave muffled screams and tried to escape her captor's grasp when he whispered in her ear.

"Quiet, he'll hear you."

What was he talking about? Who will hear her?

"Sixer, where are you?"

She recognized that voice. Bill.

"Follow my lead and you'll get out of this alive. Understand?"

Mabel nodded. She was better off taking her chances with this stranger than Bill Cipher. The man grabbed her hand and they took off running in some sort of crazy marble maze. The twists and turns confused her. This maze was more perplexing than the corn mazes her parents used to take her to in the fall. There were more choices than left and right, there was up, down, diagonal, 90-degree angles.

She has no idea how he did it, but he found his way out of the maze into a bleak, desolate wasteland with a blood-red sky over them.

Bill burst through the wall of the maze. "So, IQ, you got out of the Quadrangle of Qonfusion, and look…" He gestured towards Mabel. "You even caught a shooting star."

"You'll never catch me alive, Cipher!" The man threw a grenade that provided them a temporary cover from Bill.

"How are we gonna get out?" Mabel asked.

"We'll have to escape through one of these wormholes." There were wormholes all around them due to the instability of the nightmare realm. He looked around for the nearest one. "There!"

Mabel wasn't keen on jumping another portal, but now that the grenade's dust had cleared, Bill on was now on their tail. She didn't really have a choice.

They jumped through the wormhole and Mabel was hit by a blast of cold air. The place they landed was covered in a thick sheet of snow. Mabel's sweater was made of a breathable fabric so she didn't get too hot in the summer, and therefore, was ill-equipped to protect her from the frosty weather.

The man who rescued her took off his goggles and slammed them to the ground in frustration. "Stanley, you fool! I was right there! I had Bill in my clutches! And here comes my idiot brother to reactivate the portal!"

Mabel finally got a glimpse of his face. He looked almost identical to Stan. This rambling, angry man was Stan's brother? He and Grandpa Shermie never mentioned having a brother. But he called him Stanley instead of Stanford. And the portal, why did it take her to Bill? Where were they now? What was going on? Everything was happening too fast.

The man paid her no attention, still in the middle of his heated tirade. "Bill and his minions could have waltzed right into our dimension. I warned him that…"

He cut off his rant upon hearing a small sob. It was the girl. The girl who had knocked into him when he tried to escape to the portal. The girl he had to abandon the mission for so he could bring her to safety.

He remembered how confused and scared he was when he first came through the portal. And he was a fully-grown adult back then. This was just an innocent little girl who probably had no idea what she's gotten herself into.

"Hey…" He kneeled on the ground to be level with her. She was hugging her knees and looking at him with uncertainty. "I'm sorry if I frightened you. I've had a very…stressful day." Stressful thirty years more like it.

"You don't have to be afraid of me. I won't hurt you." He realized that the girl was shaking and it wasn't just from fear. He remembered that they landed in the middle of a snowy tundra. He took off his scarf and wrapped it around her head.

They were in below freezing weather and she wasn't properly dressed to survive such harsh conditions. His own coat was made from a fabric called "polyweather," used to make clothing suitable for any climate: breathable in heat and toasty in the cold. He picked it up in the Ever-Changing Weather Dimension. He didn't have one to give her, though. They would have to share his.

"What's your name, my dear?"

"M…Mabel."

"Mabel, you must be very cold. I only have one coat, so I'll need to hold you so we can share it. Is that alright?"

Mabel was hardly in a position to refuse. She extended her arms and allowed him to pick her up and hold her against his body. He bundled her in his coat and she sighed in relief at the instant warmth.

"Mabel, I know you must have a lot of questions. But right now, we need to get you somewhere warm. Then, we can talk."

Maybe it was because he did save her from Bill, maybe because he was family, or maybe because his face looked so much like her beloved Grunkle Stan, but Mabel had no misgivings about trusting this man. She quietly rested in his arms as he set off to find them shelter.


	2. Responsibility

The crackling fire reminded Mabel of when her family made campfires back in Gravity Falls. They used the fire to make marshmallows and tell stories, not for survival like she was now.

Her new companion introduced himself as the real Stanford Pines. But he insisted she call him Ford for short. She insisted that she call him "Grunkle" Ford. He thought it sounded silly, but also kind of cute, so he agreed.

Apparently, Grunkle Stan's real name was Stanley Pines. He told Mabel his story of how he and his brother were close until Stan cost him his dream school. Mabel learned that he was the author of the journals and that he had tried to hide them from Bill. When he asked Stan to take one of them, they got into a fight and Ford was pushed into the portal. Ford still harbored a grudge against Stan.

"But it was an accident, Grunkle Ford. And he tried to get you back."

"That's the problem, Mabel. Activating the portal puts the whole universe at risk. I left warnings about it and he didn't listen."

"Grunkle Stan is pretty stubborn." Mabel thought back to Stan's plea to her before she went through the portal. How he said everything he's ever done was for this family. He had been telling the truth.

"I'm sorry he dragged you into this," said Ford. She foolishly chose to trust Stan like he did all those years ago.

"I'm not."

"What?"

"Grunkle Stan was telling the truth. He was just trying to help his family. I'm glad I didn't press the button. If I could, I would do it all over again. Well, except I probably would hold on to something." Yeah, Mabel probably should have just not pressed the button instead of letting it go for dramatic effect. But honestly, she didn't just let go for dramatic effect (though she bet she looked pretty cool doing it), she let go just to not give herself a chance to change her mind. "And I got to meet you."

Ford had no idea how to respond. After all the warnings he gave, she would still do such a fool hearty act just to save one family member? He shrugged it off telling himself that she was just a child. She'll understand when she's older.

Mabel looked down and noticed something odd about his hands. He had… "Six fingers?"

"Oh yes." Ford instinctively hid his hands behind his back. "It's, um, a birth defect."

"Can I see?"

Ford was reluctant to let someone ogle at his hands. But Mabel's tone didn't hold disgust or aversion like he had been used to. He surrendered his hand for her to inspect.

"Wow! This is so cool! I wish I had extra fingers! It would make Dipper even more ticklish!"

No one's ever complimented his hand like that before. If couldn't suppress the dopey grin on his face.

"Your hands would make the best hand turkeys! Can I make one for you when we get home?"

Home…poor child. She was so naïve. How can Ford tell her that he will probably never see her home again? "Yeah…sure."

Ford was always a terrible liar, and he didn't fool Mabel for a second. "You don't think we'll ever get home?"

Maybe she wasn't as naïve as he thought. "It's…not likely."

"It's okay, Grunkle Stan will bring us back." Mabel didn't miss the look of annoyance that came across Ford's face. "I know you don't want him to, but that's not gonna stop him, is it? Especially since I'm here now too. Grunkle Stan once punched a pterodactyl in the face just to save my pet pig. There's no way he's gonna give up on saving me."

Ford knew she was right. If Stan got the portal open once, he's surely going to try again, even if it takes some time.

"I know you're mad at him, Grunkle Ford. But I gotta be honest, if my brother was lost in another dimension, I'd do whatever I could to bring him back."

Ford pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. He didn't want to talk about this anymore. "I think it's time for us to turn in for the night. I have a sleeping bag you can use."

"What about you, Grunkle Ford?"

"Don't worry about me, dear."

"You should have the sleeping bag."

"I'll be fine." Ford wanted her to have the sleeping bag for more than just comfort. She wasn't accustomed to harsh climates like he was. Her health could be put in jeopardy if she didn't get proper warmth and rest.

"We could share it like we did with your coat." For some reason, Mabel blushed as she said this. "I mean, sharing body heat can help keep you warm, right?"

Ford studied her expression carefully. She really wanted to sleep close to him tonight, and he had a feeling it wasn't just for warmth. "That is true. You're a very bright girl."

Ford laid the sleeping bag out and Mabel crawled into it like a caterpillar in a cocoon. Ford smiled and settled next to her. She immediately snuggled up to him.

"Goodnight, Grunkle Ford."

"Uh, goodnight, Mabel."

As he watched her fall asleep, he was hit by the realization that he was now effectively, this child's guardian. She was his responsibility now. It was his responsibility to feed her, clothe her, and shelter her. That wasn't going to be a problem, he's done it for himself as these years. No, she needed much more than that.

She snuggled closer to him, smiling a little as she did so. Did she really grow so fond of him in such a short amount of time or was she just desperate for any parental figure to cling to? Regardless of the answer, she needed him for more than just her physical needs. She needed comfort and love.

Her life, health, and happiness were now in his hands. Mabel knew that too, and despite knowing him less than a day, trusted him to be her protector. She was far too trusting. That could get her killed out here.

But as she stared down at her peaceful face, he found himself saddened by the thought of her becoming as cynical as him. Against his better judgment, he wanted to preserve her innocence.

She felt so small curled against him, and that strengthened his urge to protect her. It didn't matter how or why she was here. She was here and she needed him.

And after thirty years of being alone, maybe he needed her too.


	3. Run

After traveling across the icy tundra for half the day, they finally reached a more wooded area where the snowfall was much lighter. Ford decided to stop and rest. He was usually fine powering through, but Mabel had only been with him a few days and still wasn't used to making long treks. At least she was no longer at risk of hypothermia now that she had her own polyweather coat. He discovered she had a talent for knitting sweaters. He took some material off his own coat and they worked to together to make one for her (although he had to apologize for not having any sparkles she could put on it).

After eating lunch, he sat against a tree and let Mabel lay on top of him. Their ten-to-fifteen-minute rest stop turned into a thirty-minute nap as Mabel fell asleep. But she looked so cute when she was sleeping that Ford didn't have the heart to wake her. Besides, it was rare that he just take a moment to relax and enjoy the quiet.

Well, it was almost quiet.

"I'm gonna get you, Dipper..." He learned that Mabel talked in her sleep, and right now, she was apparently having a dream about her brother offending her in some way. "I warned you not to use my knitting needles to pick your teeth..."

Ford giggled at his niece's dreamy misadventures.

"Gotcha..." Mabel's hands clasped around the sides of his torso. She sure was an active sleeper. "I'll braid your hair in a minute, Craz…first I gotta teach my brother a lesson…"

Mabel's fingers lightly brushed across Ford's skin stimulating an involuntary reaction across his entire body. Unfortunately, Ford was easily susceptible to the sensation of gargalesis and was helpless to mentally overcome it.

Or in layman's terms: Ford was very ticklish.

"Tickle, tickle, tickle…hehehe…"

Ford put a fist over his mouth to stifle his chuckles. This girl must have some crazy power over him, for he would rather endure the torture she unwittingly bestowed upon him than risk waking her up. But it appears Mabel has only just begun.

"And this is for taking my disco ball for your dumb alien-hub thingy…" Mabel dug her fingers into him more aggressively. He had to put both hands over his mouth but he was unable to stop the snickers that escaped his lips. His face was now beet red as he nearly killed himself trying not to wake his niece.

What Ford didn't realize is that the twitches his body made as he tried to breathe had already woken her up. Rather than stopping her assault, she decided to play possum a little while longer. She slyly peeked one eye open and slid her hand underneath Ford's armpit for the final attack.

Ford lost it. He couldn't stop the laughter that erupted from his mouth. Mabel could no longer hide her laughter either as she finally opened her eyes and blew her cover. Ford picked her up and held her up out of reach of any ticklish spots on his body.

"Alright, missy, I know you're not asleep anymore!" She tricked him. And now she was laughing at him. That was unacceptable. Ford had no choice but to punish her for her deception. "You're very sneaky, but you forgot one thing."

Ford trapped Mabel with one arm and used the other hand to tickle her tummy. "I have an extra finger to tickle with!"

"Hahaha! No! Grunkle Ford! I'm sorry! Hahaha!"

They both laughed as Ford got his sweet revenge. He decided to finally show mercy when she was in danger of choking.

Ford stood up. "Alright, now that you're awake, we should probably get going."

"Hehe. Okay, Grunkle Ford." He extended his hand to help Mabel off the ground. "That was pretty funny. You're as ticklish as Dipper!"

"Do you often torment your brother with those devious fingers of yours?"

"Oh yeah, but only when he deserves it." A solemn expression came across Mabel's face as it often did when she talked about the loved ones she left behind.

"What's he like? Your brother, Dipper?" Ford was curious about his newly-discovered nephew.

"He's the best brother ever. He always has my back." Mabel remembered Dipper screaming at her to push the button. "I wonder if he's mad at me."

"I'm sure he'll forgive you, dear."

"How do you know? I mean, it's been thirty years and you're still mad at Grunkle Stan."

Ford had no response to that. He usually had no problem justifying his anger toward his brother. But hearing it said out loud from such an innocent voice made him second guess himself.

"And Dipper's a lot like you."

"Is he? How so?" Ford asked eager to change the subject.

"Well, he's a huge nerd for one thing."

"Who are you calling a nerd? Am I going to have to teach you another lesson?" Ford held up his hand and wiggled his fingers.

"No, no," Mabel said quickly not eager to be tickled again. "I'm just saying you guys have a lot in common. I think you'll get along great. Wait, who am I kidding? You're the author of the journals! He'll be so excited, he'll probably throw up!"

Ford's smile suddenly dropped as he looked behind them. He squinted his eyes scanning for something off in the distance. Mabel looked in the same direction he was, but she didn't see anything but woods. "Grunkle Ford?"

Ford's eyes grew wide with fear. He looked down at her and said only one thing: "Run."


	4. Captured

Mabel still didn't know who they were even running from, but the way her uncle panicked was enough to realize they were probably being chased by something really bad.

She screamed as gunshots cracked in the air. She couldn't help but turn around to see who was shooting at them. Doing this meant she didn't see where she was going and ran full force into a tree.

Ford noticed his niece fall and went back for her. As he helped her to her feet, they both looked up into terror as they shot a large projectile into the sky above them. The large projectile broke into a bunch of smaller darts that came raining down to earth.

Ford pushed Mabel up against the tree and shielded her body with his own. As darts fell all around them, Ford felt sharp pains on his shoulders, back, and legs.

"Grunkle Ford?" Mabel looked in horror at the darts all over her uncle's body. "Grunkle Ford, what are those things?"

"It's a toxin that will render me unconscious." Ford could already feel the toxin's effects. There wasn't much time. He handed Mabel his gun. "You'll need this to protect yourself. Just pull the trigger here to fire."

"Wha…what?"

Ford ignored her dumbfounded expression and pulled out a white spherical object and pointed to a red button at the top. "This is a grenade. Press this button to turn it on. It's different from an Earth grenade. It won't detonate until you throw it."

"Grunkle Ford, what…why are you…?"

"They're going to catch me, Mabel. You have to go on without me."

"No, Grunkle Ford, I can't…"

"Mabel, I'm losing consciousness. I won't be able to protect you." By the number of darts that hit him, he was going to be out for a very long time. His vision was already going black.

"I…I can protect you." Mabel held up the gun he gave her.

"No, Mabel, you won't stand a chance."

"I can't leave you. We can…we can hide."

"There's nowhere to hide. They'll find me. I don't want you here when that happens." Ford couldn't see her face very well now, but he knew she was crying. "You need to be strong now, baby."

"No, Grunkle Ford, please…"

"Mabel…please…run…stay safe. Stay…" Ford couldn't fight it anymore and plopped to the ground as he succumbed to the toxin.

"Grunkle Ford? Grunkle Ford, wake up, please!" Mabel pushed on his shoulder trying to rouse him, but it was no use. He was out.

Their pursuers were getting closer. They'll be here soon, but she couldn't leave him.

Mabel realized she had no choice. He can't protect her and she can't protect him. She had to get as far away from Ford as possible. "I'm so sorry, Grunkle Ford. Please don't hate me for this."

Mabel gave Ford one final kiss goodbye on his cheek before taking off. Once she got a considerable distance away, she turned around to see dark figures getting closer to Ford. They were going to find him any second now.

Mabel took the gun and fired it in their direction. It didn't hit any of them, but it didn't need to. The mysterious figures sprinted towards the direction of the person who fired Ford's gun, not knowing that they completely missed the owner of said gun just a few feet away.

Mabel's heart pounded as she ran for her life. Even though she was scared, she was thankful her plan worked. They followed the shot and now, she could lead them away from Ford.

A familiar projectile hovered above her. They were firing another one of those dart things. Without Ford acting as her human shield, she was left defenseless as a single dart pierced her shoulder.

She tried to keep running, but she was getting so sleepy. She stumbled to the ground. She was too tired to stand back up so all she could do was try to crawl away. But even that became too much for her. As she laid uselessly on the ground, she heard footsteps coming towards her. Blurry figures gathered around her.

"What? A girl?"

"It's the girl Pines was with."

"So, where's Pines?"

They didn't find him. She did it. She smiled as she finally blacked out. Even if this was the end for her, at least Grunkle Ford was safe.

The first thing Ford felt when he woke up again was stinging all over his back. He remembered that he had been knocked out by toxic darts. Judging by how low the sun was in the sky, he was out for quite a while. He couldn't believe he wasn't caught. These guys were supposed to be the best, how did they miss him?

He had no time to worry about that now. He had to reunite with Mabel. He worked on pulling the darts out of him. He was hit by so many. No wonder he was out for so long. He went to look for her hoping she hasn't gone too far.

He couldn't forget how scared she looked when he told her to leave him. Truthfully, he had been scared too. He was scared not knowing how she would survive without him. He had to be more careful. Her dependence on him gave him more than self-preservation as a reason to stay alive.

He came across a bunch of darts all over the ground. They fired another dart bomb? Those were hard to come by. They wouldn't use it so liberally. Not unless they had a target. The only explanation was that they found another…

Oh no.

"Mabel!" Ford called out to her not caring if they heard him. Finding her was the only thing that mattered. He tried to keep calm by reminding himself that it was him they wanted, not her. She was of no use to them.

Then again, maybe that wasn't such a good thing. They may have been in the business of catching fugitives, but the bounty hunters of the Uptight Citizen Renegades hardly had a moral compass. They were only in it for the money, and they didn't care how many innocent people they hurt to get what they want. Ford wouldn't put it was past them to hurt Mabel just to vent their anger at losing their bounty.

He shouldn't jump to conclusions. Maybe they just got sloppy. Maybe she got away. Maybe they let her go. Maybe…

His heart stopped. Lying on the floor was the gun he gave to Mabel. Next to it was what he identified as a recording device. He picked it up and turned it on.

"Hello, Stanford Pines." He recognized the voice coming through the device as Poehler, the leader of the gang. "Looks like you got away again, you bastard. But we didn't leave empty handed."

He heard a small sob. His fears were confirmed: they had Mabel. "Grunkle Ford…" She sounded so frightened. It broke Ford's heart in two. "Gr…Grunkle Ford…they're…they're going to leave c…coordinates on the back of the…the device. They want you to be there by nightfall." Mabel's voice sounded stilted like they were making her read from a script. "If you don't…" She choked out another sob.

"Come on, princess. You can do it. This is the most important part." Poehler's voice came through again. Ford could hear the taunting smile in his voice.

"They said…if you don't…they're going to kill me." Mabel cried even harder.

Ford gripped the recording device so hard that his knuckles turned white.

"Grunkle Ford…" The tone of Mabel's voice changed. Whatever she was about to say was not fed to her by Poehler. "Grunkle Ford, don't do it. Don't listen to him..."

Ford heard a smacking sound and Mabel crying out in pain. They hit her. They hit his Mabel.

"You heard her, Stanford. You come tonight or the girl dies." The recording went dead.


	5. She Can Help

Mabel's hands were tied behind her back and a gag had been placed over her mouth. She was sitting in a cave being guarded by one of the men who kidnapped her. They all wore black clothing, including a mask over their faces. She supposed it made sense for them to wear all black. It made them harder to spot. She gathered that they were hunters of some sort.

Except what they were hunting was her Grunkle Ford, and she was the bait.

She watched in anticipation as the sun got lower in the sky. Once it sets, it will mean the death of either Ford or her. She prayed for the latter. She didn't want to die, but she didn't want Ford to die either. She hoped that maybe he never found the message she had been forced to leave and he won't even know where she is.

Another one of the hunters came in donned in all the black uniform like all the others. They would periodically switch who among their group would watch her. It made no difference to Mabel, their masks made it difficult to tell them apart.

"Ah, finally. Watching this kid is so boring," he was thrilled to be relieved of duty. "Pines isn't here yet?"

The other hunter shook his head.

"He better get here soon before Poehler blows this kid's brains out." She shivered at the nonchalant way he discussed her murder right in front of her.

When the old guard left, the new guard came towards her. He kept looking behind him as though to make sure they were alone. Mabel let out muffled cries as he got closer. What was he going to do to her?

"Mabel…" She recognized that voice. He took off his mask to reveal himself to be Ford. "Mabel, it's okay. It's me."

He took the gag off Mabel's mouth. "Grunkle Ford…"

"Are you hurt, sweetheart? Did they hurt you?" Ford asked as he cupped both sides of her face in concern.

"No, I'm okay, Grunkle Ford."

Ford used a knife to cut through the rope binding her wrists and ankles. Once she was free, she threw her arms around Ford. He hugged her back tightly. "Oh, Mabel, thank goodness you're alright."

But they didn't have time to dwell on a happy reunion. They still had to escape. "Don't worry, Mabel, I'll get us out of here."

Ford peeked outside the cave to make sure no one was looking. He slowly stepped out of the cave with Mabel following close behind.

"Okay, just stay quiet, and we should be-"

Ford was hit in the back of the head hard enough to knock him over. Mabel screamed as Poehler appeared out of nowhere and attacked her uncle. She tried to help Ford but was grabbed by Poehler.

Ford was pulled out of his disorientation by the sound of his niece in distress. He pulled out his gun and pointed it at Poehler.

"Let her go!"

"Drop the gun or I'll kill her." Poehler put his arm around Mabel's neck and pressed his gun to her head.

"Poehler, I swear to god, if you hurt her…"

"You really think you can shoot me before I shoot her?" Poehler gestured towards his cronies who quickly had them surrounded. "You really think you can save the girl from all of us?"

Ford assessed the situation. He was usually good at staying calm and detached. But it was hard to stay objective with Mabel looking at him with wide, fearful eyes. There was no way he could shoot his way out without Mabel getting hurt.

There was only one way to save her. Ford tossed his gun aside and raised his hands. "Fine, Poehler. You win. I surrender."

"No, Grunkle Ford, don't…" He tightened his hold around Mabel's neck making it hard for her to speak.

"On your knees," said Poehler.

Ford complied and kneeled on the ground. The Renegades swarmed in and tied his hands behind his back. They also put a rope around his neck like one would leash an animal.

"We did it, boys! We caught Stanford Pines!"

As the Renegades cheered for their victory. Poehler released Mabel certain that Ford wasn't going anywhere. She ran over to her uncle and hugged him.

"Grunkle Ford, I'm so sorry."

"Shh, Mabel, it's alright. I don't care what happens to me. All that matters is that you're safe."

Once the cheering had stopped, Poehler turned his attention back to Ford.

"Alright, you've got me, Poehler. Now let Mabel go."

"Sure, a deal's a deal. Beat it, kid."

Mabel took a protective stance in front of Ford. "What are you gonna do to my uncle?"

"Collect the bounty on his head. He's wanted in many places dead or alive." Poehler took out a dimension hopper device ready to take Ford to the dimension with the highest bidder. He stopped and reconsidered. Ford slipped away from their grasp many times before. He didn't want to risk losing him. Like the wanted posters say, dead or alive. "But, I don't think we'll take our chances on alive."

"No, please, don't hurt him."

"Mabel, it's okay. I'm old. I've lived my life," said Ford.

Mabel didn't back down. "I won't let you hurt my uncle!"

"Get out of here, kid, before we kill you too." Poehler tossed Mabel aside with little effort.

"No! Grunkle Ford!"

"Mabel, please go. I don't want you to see this," said Ford.

She had to think of something fast. She reached into her pocket and pulled out one of the grenades Ford gave her.

Poehler pressed his gun against Ford's forehead. He closed his eyes and accepted his fate.

"STOP!" Mabel threw herself in between Poehler and Ford and activated the grenade. "Back off or you'll all be blown sky high!"

"Mabel, what are you doing?" Ford asked in an alarmed voice.

All of them backed off, except for Poehler. "You idiots, she's just a kid. She's bluffing."

"DO I LOOK LIKE I'M BLUFFING, PUNK?" Mabel screamed, quoting her dad's favorite action movie, Dirty Barry. "I'm not leaving without my Grunkle!"

Poehler looked into her eyes. He can tell when he was being lied to. But this kid wasn't kidding. She'll blow them all up. He backed away.

"You!" Mabel pointed at one of the Renegades and he squealed in fright. "Untie him." The Renegade complied and cut off the ropes binding Ford before quickly scampering off.

Ford rubbed his wrists and stared at his niece in awe. He wasn't thrilled that she was putting her life in jeopardy, but he couldn't help but feel grateful to her as well as feel proud of her bravery and wit.

"Mabel, dear," Ford said with a sly smile. "I think Poehler's dimension hopper would be a valuable tool to us."

"You heard the man, Poehler," said Mabel. "Give him the whatchamacallit."

Ford took the dimension hopper from a scowling Poehler and put Mabel behind him as they backed away from the Renegades.

They had a problem. Once they were far enough away, the Renegades would no longer be within range of the blast. They would have no leverage and the Renegades would be free to open fire on them.

"Mabel…" Ford whispered. "When I say now, throw the grenade and run."

She nodded. Ford needed to get her to a safe place, and he knew exactly where to go. He set the dimension hopper to Dimension 52. "Now!"

Mabel threw the grenade. The dust cloud provided them cover like it did with Bill before. She and Ford turned around and bolted as the Renegades fired blindly at them. Ford activated the hopper and opened a portal. He took Mabel's hand and they jumped through it together.

Ford watched as the portal closed behind them. They did it. They made it to Dimension 52. They had landed on the side of a mountain. He looked towards the mountaintop. Up in the clouds was a shrine reminiscent of an Earth Buddhist temple if it was designed by the architects of ancient Rome. Mabel will be safe there.

Speaking of his niece, "Mabel, that was incredible! Crazy and irresponsible, but brilliant!"

She didn't answer him. He looked over to see her lying face-down on the ground.

"Mabel, are you alright?" Ford stopped cold at what he saw: there was blood pouring out the side of her abdomen. She had been shot. "Oh no. Oh my god, no."

There was only one hope for her. He looked back up towards the shrine. He had to get Mabel there as quickly as possible.

She was there. She can help Mabel.

At least Ford hoped she could.


	6. Dying Star

"Now!"

Mabel threw the grenade as far as she could before running with her uncle into the portal. She tried to ignore the gunshots coming from behind her as she and Ford leaped into the portal.

They made it. They…

Mabel felt an intense force in her side causing her to gasp. She clutched the burning area and felt something sticky soaking her fingers. She landed face-first on the ground. She had a moment of shock before it gave way to unbearable agony that left her unable to move or speak.

Ford spoke to her, but she was having trouble focusing on what he was saying. He turned her on her back so he could look at her injury. But Mabel still had her hands over her wound. "Mabel, move your hands, sweetheart."

"No, Grunkle Ford, please don't touch it."

"Mabel, I need to see it. Trust me, sweetheart." She allowed Ford to gently push her hands away. "I need to stop the bleeding, Mabel."

Mabel cried and gripped Ford's arm as pressure was painfully applied to her wound. Ford covered it with a piece of cloth to stall the bleeding. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her up the mountain trail.

Mabel never felt pain like this before. It hurt so bad that it was hard for Mabel to breathe.

"Shh, breathe, Mabel. Just relax and breathe."

She was getting tired. Maybe if she goes to sleep, she won't feel pain anymore.

"Keep your eyes open, Mabel."

"I wanna go to sleep."

"No, Mabel, you can't. Not yet."

"But it hurts."

"I know, baby. I'll let you sleep soon, okay? Just stay awake a little while longer." Ford sounded so desperate and worried. She had no choice but to listen.

"Okay, Grunkle Ford." Mabel tried to stay awake but her eyelids kept falling on their own.

"Mabel, don't sleep. Talk to me. Tell me about home. What do you want to do when we get home?"

"Well…I want to…write about…our adventures…in my scrapbook…you can read about…all the things I did this summer…if you want…"

"I would love to read it. What else?"

"I want…I want to make you a sweater…"

"I would be honored to receive a sweater from you."

"Yeah…maybe blue…do you like blue?"

"I love blue."

"I love blue too."

Ford was trying hard to keep calm as he carried Mabel up the mountain trail. He didn't want to alarm her. But Mabel wasn't stupid. She knew her condition was serious.

"You know…what I really want to see…?"

"What would you like to see, dear?"

"I want to see you…make up with Stan…"

"You will," Ford said without hesitation. His grudge against his brother hardly seemed important at the moment. "I'll make up with Stan."

"You…promise?"

"I promise, sweetheart."

"Even if…" Mabel's lips trembled and she looked at Ford with teary eyes. "Even if I'm not there to see it?"

A huge lump formed in Ford's throat. "Of course you'll see it. I'll make up with Stan. Then, you, Dipper, Stan, and I, we can be a family. The four of us…we'll be a family, Mabel."

"And…Waddles too?"

Ford couldn't help but give a small laugh remembering how Mabel would go on and on about how much she loved her pet pig. "Yes, Waddles too."

They reached the shrine at the top of the mountain. The marble pillars were just as radiant as Ford remembered.

But he wasn't here for the architecture. There was only one person he wanted to see right now. "Jheselbraum!"

He searched the entire shrine but couldn't find her anywhere. That meant there was only one place she could be: her meditation chamber.

He ran to the entrance of the chamber and tried to open the door, but it was no use. Only Jheselbraum could open these doors.

"Jheselbraum! Jheselbraum, it's me, Stanford!" He pounded on the door. When Ford stayed with her years before, Jheselbraum would retreat to her meditation chamber for hours. Mabel didn't have hours. "Jheselbraum, I need your help! Please!"

He looked down at Mabel. Her breathing was ragged and her eyes were closing. He was losing her.

"No, no, Mabel, stay with me." Ford lightly tapped her face to wake her up, but her head was limp like a rag doll. He banged on the door so hard that his knuckles bled. "JHESELBRAUM! PLEASE! HELP ME!"

It was hopeless. Jheselbraum's meditations were so deep that no outside force could pull her out of it. All he could do was wait for her to come out.

But Mabel couldn't wait much longer.

"Jheselbraum, please…" Ford slid down to the floor as he knees gave out on him. Mabel lay unmoving in his arms. He hugged her close to him helpless to do anything else. "Please…"

The massive doors creaked and Ford watched in awe as they opened to reveal a cloaked woman who towered over Ford. But her most distinguishing feature was her seven eyes on her long, oval face. "Jheselbraum…"

Jheselbraum didn't wait for an explanation. She simply extended her arms and said, "Give her to me."

He put Mabel in Jheselbraum's arms. She quickly walked in the direction Ford recalled was where the infirmary was. As she walked, Jheselbraum muttered chants over Mabel. Even though he didn't understand the language, he remembered her saying such chants over him when he was injured.

They reached the infirmary and Jheselbraum laid Mabel down on the operating table. She put her hand on Mabel's forehead and her other hand hovered over Mabel's body, almost like her hand was a metal detector searching for treasure. All seven of her eyes closed as she did this. Her hand stopped over where the bullet entered Mabel's body. She laid her hand over the wound and began chanting again.

Mabel was woken up by pressure being placed on her wound again. Her eyes fluttered open to see a seven-eyed creature looking down at her. She was too weak to even recoil from this strange being. All she could do was whimper in fear.

"Shh…" The seven-eyed woman stroked her forehead reminiscent of the way a mother would. "Do not fear me, child. I mean you no harm."

"Mabel, it's alright." Ford stood close to Mabel so she could see him. "This is Jheselbraum. She's a friend of mine. She's going to take care of you."

Mabel was still confused and scared, but hearing her uncle's voice and seeing his face soothed her. If he was here, then everything would be okay, right?

Now that Mabel had been calmed, Jheselbraum brought out a potion in a bottle he recognized as the same anesthetic she had given him when he had his operation. She popped the cork off and put it under Mabel's nose. "What…what is this?"

"It's a narcomancer potion. The scent will ease your pain and help you to sleep," Jheselbraum explained patiently.

"But I can't sleep. Grunkle Ford said…"

"It's alright, Mabel, you can sleep now just like I promised." Ford rubbed his thumb across her cheek. "Go to sleep, sweetheart."

"Okay…" Mabel breathed in the potion. She felt relieved as her pain faded away. But Ford still looked worried. She wanted to say something to reassure him, but she didn't even have time to open her mouth before the world went dark.


	7. Unbroken Vigil

When Jheselbraum finished operating on Mabel, she scooped Mabel into her arms and without a word, carried her out of the room. Ford followed close behind.

She took Mabel to a simple white room with a large bed. It was the same room she gave him when he stayed with her all those years ago.

Jheselbraum laid Mabel on the bed and pulled the thick comforter over her. Ford was anxious to hear Mabel's prognosis but stayed quiet out of respect.

"I have done all I can," Jheselbraum finally said. "All we can do now is wait."

Ford's shoulders slumped. Mabel's life still hung in the balance. None of Jheselbraum's spells or medicine could bring her back. It was all up to Mabel now.

"What are her chances?" Ford asked unsure if he even wanted to know the answer.

"Her body is weak, but I could still feel her spirit. It's very strong." Jheselbraum put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "If she's half as strong as her uncle…"

"No, she's much stronger. Stronger than I could ever hope to be." Ford ignored the fact that he never even told her Mabel was his niece. He's come to expect Jheselbraum to know things she shouldn't.

"Then I see no reason to give up hope just yet." Jheselbraum took his hands. There was blood all over his clothing. "Do you need to be treated as well?"

"No, it's…it's not mine."

"Go wash." Jheselbraum noticed him shoot a concerned glance at Mabel. "I know you're reluctant to leave her, but I will be with her until you return."

Ford obeyed her and made his way toward the bath. He still remembered where it was. He remembered where everything was. He remembered the tall pillars that showed little sign of wear in the years he's been gone. He remembered the immaculate statues of wise souls long past. He remembered the writings on the walls written in an alien language lost to the ages.

Of all the dimensions he has visited, this one was the closest he ever felt at home. He would be happy to be back if not for the circumstances that brought him here.

When he reached the bathhouse, he took off his shirt and found that the blood had soaked through to his chest. He took off his pants and underwear and went into the water. He furiously scrubbed off the blood, Mabel's blood.

He watched the water around him turn red as Mabel's blood slithered off his skin. Even after he was clean, he couldn't stop feeling her blood on him.

He tried to scrub his clothing clean as well, but it was fruitless. The blood will never come out. He had no desire to wear it again. He gave up trying to clean his clothes and instead grabbed a bathrobe hanging on the wall. Since it was Jheselbraum's, it was much too long for him, but it will have to do.

He went back to Mabel. Jheselbraum, as promised, was sitting in a chair by Mabel's bed. "I see you've made use of my robe."

Ford blushed and scratched the back of his neck. "Forgive me, my clothes were-"

"You do not need to apologize, old friend. You will always have a home here. All I have is yours."

"Thank you." Ford gave her a watery smile that quickly dropped when he looked back at Mabel. Jheselbraum stood up to let Ford take her place by Mabel's side.

While Jheselbraum tended to Mabel's medical needs, giving her medicine and doing healing spells over her, Ford watched over her day and night doing everything in his power to take care of her.

He spent most of the time dipping a washcloth in a bowl of cold water and using it to sponge Mabel's face. When Mabel could, he fed her to keep her strength up. When bodily functions made themselves known, he cleaned her. When she cried in her sleep, he took her hand and shushed her. He told her that everything was alright and that he was here.

Jheselbraum brought another bowl of soup for Ford to feed to Mabel. He took a spoonful of soup and blew on it to cool it down before giving it to her. Since Mabel still was unable to open her eyes, he had to tap her lips with the spoon to signal to her that it was time to eat. He liked feeding her because her opening her mouth was the most movement she ever gave.

Ford, tired and weary from all the sleepless night caring for his niece, forgot to blow on the soup first. It was too hot and it burned her tongue. She coughed out the hot soup and it dribbled down her chin all the way to her chest.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, dear." Ford quickly grabbed a napkin and wiped the hot soup of her. Mabel was still coughing; she needed water. He helped Mabel sit up and wrapped his arm around her back to keep her upright. He grabbed the cup of water off her nightstand and brought it to her lips. She took a small sip and her coughing ceased. "Sorry about that, Mabel. We can finish eating later, okay?"

Of course, Mabel didn't respond to him. Her pale face remained peaceful, her body immobile. He hated it. Mabel was not a peaceful sleeper. She was supposed to smile when she dreamed of something pleasant. She was supposed to snuggle closer to him when she felt afraid. She was supposed to talk silly things in her sleep that made Ford laugh. She was supposed to tickle whoever was unfortunate enough to be within her fingers' reach.

Tears that he had worked so hard to hold back finally came erupting to the surface. He hadn't cried like this since he was a child. He tried to be strong for her, but this was too much.

He was scared. He's never been so scared in his life. This girl who came into his world, won his heart, and brought him so much joy in the brief time he's known her, was now dying right in front of him. And he, the genius, the purported hero, was helpless to stop it. He would give his life to stop it. He aspired to save the universe, and he couldn't even save one little girl. A little girl he loved with all his heart.

"Don't leave me, Mabel." Ford stroked her face. Her skin felt so soft making her seem even more fragile than she already was.

He couldn't give up on her, but each minute that passed chipped away at what little hope Ford had left. He buried his face in his hands and grieved for all he was about to lose.

"Grunkle Ford…"

He gasped out loud. He put his hands down and stared at Mabel's face not daring to believe that she truly did speak. He expected to discover that he was just hearing things and that she would still be dead to the world.

Instead, two beautiful brown eyes he feared he would never see again were looking back at him.

"Grunkle Ford, don't cry." Mabel reached up to wipe a tear from his cheek. Ford put his hand over hers. Despite Mabel's request, his tears only flowed harder.

"Mabel, I can't believe it. You're…oh, thank god." Ford wanted to gather Mabel into his arms and hug her tight. But since she was still recovering from her injuries, he settled for kissing the top of her head and pressing his forehead against hers. "I love you, Mabel. I love you so much."

"I love you too, Grunkle Ford."

Ford pulled away so he could wipe his eyes. Mabel was smiling but still looked exhausted. He was reluctant to let her sleep again after watching her unconscious form for so long, but he knew he needed to let her rest.

"Sleep, Mabel. Everything's going to be alright now."

"I don't want to. I'm scared."

"Shh…" Ford tenderly brushed her hair off her face. "You don't have to be scared, pumpkin. I'm here."

Ford realized what Mabel needed. He lifted the blanket and laid down next to her. She snuggled next to him like she did on those snowy nights when they needed to keep each other warm.

Never has Ford felt so warm.


	8. I'm Here

Mabel hasn't been afraid of the dark since she was a small child. But those childish fears seemed to have resurfaced. Not without good reason. This wasn't the type of darkness like sleeping in her bedroom without a nightlight. This darkness was oppressive and engulfing. She had a feeling that if she didn't find a way to escape the darkness, she would be lost in it forever. But there was no visible light anywhere she turned.

She might have given up already if it weren't for one thing.

Her sight may have been rendered useless, but her other senses were still somewhat functioning. She could hear things, taste things, feel things. It was kind of like when she was having a dream and she suddenly hears her alarm go off. The sound of the alarm, for just a second, becomes part of the dream before it wakes her up. It was as though she was stuck in that moment where sleep and wakefulness blend together.

She heard voices. Sometimes, it was a woman's voice speaking with a rhythmic cadence, like a chant. It was a soothing voice that reminded her of her mother. But she knew it wasn't. That disappointed her. She wanted her mother.

Other times, it was a man's voice. Not her father, but someone close, someone familiar. It was hard to understand everything he said, but he said it in such a comforting tone that Mabel couldn't help but feel some peace. There was one phrase she could decipher. It was a phrase he said over and over.

 _"I'm here."_

He didn't just speak to her, he fed her as well. She thinks it's soup. A yummy soup too. But just opening her mouth to eat was strenuous. She tried to speak but no words ever came out. All she could do was allow the soup to slide down her throat.

She was grateful to be fed, but all that food had to leave her body as well. She couldn't get up to go to the bathroom, and it hurt to hold it in. So, she ended up messing herself. She felt embarrassed not being able to control herself. But her caretaker cleaned her without complaint.

She was trying to be brave, but she was scared, confused, and helpless. There were times it was all too much, and she would cry. When that happened, she would feel someone take her hand.

 _"Shh, it's okay, Mabel. I'm here."_

So familiar…

 _It brought forth a memory. A memory of waking up in a dark, unknown place. She was in a cave. A snowstorm blew mercilessly outside._

 _She was alone. He left her. He abandoned her. How was she going to survive on her own?_

 _She started to cry feeling almost as scared and helpless then as she did now. Until she felt a hand on her shoulder._

 _"Mabel, what's wrong?"_

 _Mabel turned around. He was back. He didn't abandon her. He was still here with her. She wrapped her arms around him. "I thought you left me."_

 _"Oh, Mabel, I'm sorry. I was just getting more firewood for you. You seemed cold." He hugged her and held her close to him. "Mabel, why on earth do you think I would leave you?"_

 _"Because I can't do anything. I can't hunt for food, or make shelter, or use a gun, or…"_

 _"Mabel, hush." He cupped both sides of her face and raised her head so they made eye contact. "I'm here. As long as you need me, I will always be here, I promise."_

 _Mabel wiped her eyes so that her tears no longer blurred his face. "Thanks, Grunkle Ford."_

Grunkle Ford…he was with her.

But why? He didn't need her, and she was so dependent on him. She was nothing but a burden, a liability. She knew it and so did he.

Yet, he stayed with her. He provided her shelter, shared his limited food with her, risked his life to keep her safe. He threw his body over hers when poisonous darts came raining down on them. He snuck into a camp of vicious bounty hunters to rescue her. He surrendered himself to save her. He could have died trying to protect her.

She felt a stinging on her tongue and a burning on her chest. Though honestly, it was hardly comparable to the agonizing pain in her abdomen.

 _"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, dear."_

She wanted to tell him it was okay, but she still couldn't speak. She was so tired. It was far too tempting to just let go. Leave the pain, fear, and sadness behind.

Until she heard crying. For once, it wasn't coming from her. It was coming from Ford.

 _"Don't leave me, Mabel."_

She can't. She won't. Ford was sad. He needed her. She can't leave him after all he's done for her.

She felt his hand touch her face. She used the physical contact as a lifeline to pull herself out of the depths.

She can see it. She can see light.

She didn't care that it hurt her eyes. She was just so happy to see it after being trapped in darkness for so long. She stared upwards trying to readjust her vision. She realized she was in a bed, probably the biggest and coziest bed she's ever slept in.

Next to her bed, sobbing with his hands over his face, was Ford. It broke her heart to see it. Ford was so brave and strong. He didn't even cry when Poehler held a gun to his head about to kill him. Was a man who didn't even cry in the face of death really crying over her?

"Grunkle Ford…"

He audibly gasped as he lowered his hands and looked down at her like he expected her to disappear any moment.

"Grunkle Ford, don't cry." Mabel hated seeing tears on his face. She reached up and wiped a tear from his eye even though she didn't really have much energy to do so. Ford helped her weak arm rest by holding her hand. He was still crying. In fact, he was crying harder. Except now, he had a smile on his face.

"Mabel, I can't believe it. You're…oh, thank god." Ford kissed the top of her head and rested his forehead against hers. "I love you, Mabel. I love you so much."

Mabel nearly started crying as well. It all made sense now, why he did all he did for her. "I love you too, Grunkle Ford."

Ford pulled his face away so he could wipe his eyes. "Sleep, Mabel. Everything's going to be alright now."

Sleep? But she just woke up. She didn't want to back into the darkness. She wanted to stay with Ford. "I don't want to. I'm scared."

"Shh…" Ford took her hair and brushed it off her face. "You don't have to be scared, pumpkin. I'm here."

She had to admit she was tired and probably needed more sleep. But she would feel a lot better if…

As though he could read her mind, Ford pulled up the blanket and laid on the bed. She snuggled close to him as much as her feeble body let her move. She didn't have to go far, Ford was already close to her.

She wasn't afraid to go to sleep anymore. Two simple words shoved the fear away:

 _"I'm here."_


	9. I Missed You

Even though Mabel was well on the road to recovery, Ford couldn't help but feel apprehensive as he watched her chase butterflies in the garden. If it were up to him, Mabel would stay in bed until her wound completely healed over. But there was no chance Mabel Pines would lie in bed all day. He agreed to let her play as long as he could keep an eye on her.

"Mabel…" Jheselbraum joined them in the garden. "I have the paper and writing materials you requested. I regret to say that I do not have any crayons."

Mabel ran over to Jheselbraum in excitement. "That's okay. Even though bright colors are more my style, I can work with black and white too. Thank you, Ms. Ja…Jay…Je…Jezebel?"

"I suppose that's close enough." Jheselbraum gave an affectionate pat on the head as Mabel smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry…" Mabel felt bad for not being able to say the name of the person who saved her life. But she was trying. She really was. "Thank you."

Mabel grabbed the paper and pen from Jheselbraum's hands and found an ideal spot in the garden. She laid down on her stomach and began scribbling away.

Jheselbraum took a seat on the bench next to Ford. "Thank you for doing that for her, Jheselbraum. I apologize for her…rambunctiousness."

"Mabel is my guest and having her here has been nothing but a pleasure."

"She's a wonderful girl. I just know she can be a handful." Ford watched as Mabel rolled over on her side and immediately gave a small "ow." Ford's eyebrows raised in concern and was ready to go to her if she needed to help. But Mabel brushed off the momentary pain and continued drawing.

"I'm worried she's overexerting herself. She really should be resting more," said Ford.

"She reminds me of another patient I had."

"Oh?"

"Yes, many years ago, I came across this injured young man. He wanted to destroy Bill Cipher." Jheselbraum shot him a playfully stern look as Ford blushed. "So, I put a metal plate in his head to protect him from Bill. I kept telling him that he needed to recover, but he was a curious and restless explorer. Not one for sitting still. I considered casting a sleeping spell just to stop him from moving."

"Heh, I guess Mabel's just like me then."

"Yes, she is."

Mabel ran over to them and handed Jheselbraum her creation. "This is for you. I hope it's okay."

Maybe had sketched a picture of Jheselbraum in a doctor's outfit. Next to her was a drawing of Mabel with a band-aid over her stomach. Jheselbraum was handing Mabel a lollipop. At the top of the page was the message: "Thanks for saving me. Love, Mabel."

Ford watched Jheselbraum's face as she studied the picture. She didn't give the usual reaction of giving it a quick glance as one would do with a child's drawing. She was studying it carefully, no different than how she would study an ancient tome of complex spells.

"It would look better if I had more colors." Mabel twiddled her fingers fearing Jheselbraum's long silence indicated disapproval. "Do you like it?"

Jheselbraum carefully set the page on her lap and looked Mabel in the eye. "This is a beautiful gift, Mabel. I will cherish it always."

Mabel smiled wide and hugged Jheselbraum before skipping off to draw more.

"I can't thank you enough for all you've done," said Ford. "I already owe you so much, and now, I owe you my niece's life."

"Protecting life is not a favor, it is a responsibility. You owe me nothing, my friend."

"Still, thank you. I could never repay you for all you've done."

"If you truly wish to honor what I've done for Mabel, do so by cherishing every moment with her. Do not take her or anyone you love for granted."

Before Ford could answer, the world around them began to shake. The trembling earth caused Mabel to mess up her current work of art. She abandoned her drawing and ran into Ford's arms in fear. He threw his arms protectively around her.

"What is it?" Ford asked. "An earthquake?"

"No," Jheselbraum said simply.

As though the universe itself answered him, the sky distorted until a portal appeared before him and Mabel.

"It appears it's time for you and Mabel to go home."

"Home? We can go home now?" said Mabel.

"Yes." Jheselbraum walked over to them and laid her hands on their shoulders.

"Goodbye, Ms.…" Mabel wanted to say her name right at least once before she left. Thankfully, Ford helped her out by whispering in her ear. "Jheselbraum."

"…Jheselbraum. I'll never forget you."

"Nor will I forget you, Mabel. Goodbye, Stanford."

"Goodbye, my friend, and thank you." With Mabel in hand, Ford walked through the portal to the home he hasn't seen in thirty years.

On the other side, there was an old man who he recognized as his brother, Stan. There was a boy with him whom Ford assumed was his nephew, Dipper. They were both staring at him and Mabel in shock.

"It worked. They're back," said Dipper.

"Hey, Dipper…" Mabel said hesitantly as she got down from Ford's arms. "I know you're probably mad at me for not listening to you. But I…"

She couldn't get out another word of her apology before Dipper lunged forward and hugged her. The sniffling she heard by her ear indicated that her brother was crying. "Mabel, I missed you so much."

"I missed you too, bro-bro." Mabel's eyes were watering as well. "Dipper, you're not gonna believe all the things that happened to me. This guy is our Grunkle Ford, and he's the author of the journals!"

Dipper wasn't really listening. He was just holding his sister tight and taking in her presence. Ford didn't mind Dipper ignoring him for the time being. He deserved this moment with his sister.

He was so moved by Mabel's reunion with her brother that he momentarily forgot his own brother was staring at him still wearing that shocked expression.

"Finally, after all these long years of waiting, you're actually here!" Stan opened his arms indicating he wanted a hug. "Brother!"

Honestly, the feeling was not mutual. He was still angry with Stan and would rather punch him in the face. But, he promised Mabel he would make up with Stan and a punch in the face would not be a good start.

Stan wrapped his arms around him. Ford remained stiff in his embrace. It would take more than a hug to forgive Stan for all he's done. But then…

"I missed you, Sixer."

He felt wetness on his shoulders. Stan was crying. His brother was crying. He really had missed him.

He thought back to what Jheselbraum told him. Not to take the ones he loved for granted. He learned from nearly losing Mabel how quickly the ones he loved can be taken away. No matter how angry he was with Stan, it didn't mean Ford didn't love him.

Ford hugged him back. Maybe forgiving Stan won't be as hard as he thought. "I missed you too, knucklehead."


End file.
